


Release

by Blackdragon



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Farmhouse, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Injury Recovery, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Stress Relief, Waking up from coma, emotions bursting out, leo knows his brother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:20:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23230033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blackdragon/pseuds/Blackdragon
Summary: (set at the farmhouse after the family flees the city and Leo's in a coma)After finally waking up from his coma, Leo deals with the strain it has put on himself and on one brother in particular
Relationships: Leonardo/Raphael (TMNT)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 103





	Release

Leo was awake.

He was awake and he was smiling, despite his weakness.

He would heal and he would be alright.

Raphael watched, from a few feet away, as Donnie gave their oldest brother yet another checkup, talking about the damage done, about healing times, about this and that and it all turned to white noise in his ears.

With infinite patience, Leonardo sat on the couch, answering whatever Donnie would ask him, smiling reassuringly at the youngest, at April, even managing a small grin for Casey.

When steel-blue orbs rose to find his, Raphael dropped his gaze away and off to the side, unable to meet his brother's eyes.

April blurted about Raphael's vigil at Leo's side and the automatic reply came before he even thought about it. “Eh, it was nothing.”

Leonardo kept his eyes on Raph, noticing the way he tensed, obviously feeling his eyes on him. He smiled.

“Still. Thank you, Raph.” And his brother only tensed more, lips thinning out, giving a stiff shrug.

Oh.

Around them, the others quieted, noticing the change of the air and Leo turned his eyes to Donnie, needing no words to convey his request.

The younger nodded, giving Mikey a small jerk of head to tell him to follow him out of the room. April and Casey were quick to catch on and before Raphael even noticed, he was alone with Leo in the living room.

“Raph...”

“Don't, Leo. I told you, it was nothing. Not like I went out of my way or anything. The others took watch, too.” Too many words and with the way Raph kept avoiding to look at him, Leo knew there was more to it.

“Raph, come here.” He said softly, holding out one hand to his brother.

Still, Raphael wouldn't look at him, breaths coming fast and he shook his head. “No. I'll tell Donnie to come help you go to bed. You need to rest.”

Lowering his hand, Leonardo couldn't help the small smile, by now perfectly able to look right through Raph. Before the younger could leave, Leo gave a small, fake gasp, touching a hand to his shoulder.

It had the desired effect.

Raph was next to him barely a second later, kneeling down and casting worried, almost frantic eyes up at him. “You idiot! You're supposed to take it easy!” He fussed over Leo, trying to see what had caused him pain.

Two warm palms cupping his face made him freeze, finally fully meeting his brother's eyes with his own.

“I'm fine.” Leonardo soothed, thumbs brushing over chilled cheeks, feeling the tremble run through Raphael's whole body. “I'm fine, Raph. It's alright now.”

There was a small moment where Raph tried to scoff, probably wanted to yell at him for making him worry, pretend this wasn't affecting him as much as it did.

But he failed before he could even fully try.

Instead, thick tears formed in green eyes, spilling down his cheeks and over Leonardo's thumbs when he squeezed them shut.

“Three months, Leo! Y-you didn't wake for... for three fucking months! And-...”

Leonardo pulled him close, knees parting when Raph wrapped his arms around his middle, hiding his face against his stomach with the first, choked sob.

“I was scared!”

With a little effort, thanks to his still sore and stiff body, Leo curled forward, wrapping his arms around Raph's shoulders, one hand cupping the back of his head. He sighed. “I know. But I'm fine now. I'll heal, I promise. I'm fine.”

Hot tears of pent-up fear and frustration, exhaustion and pure, heartfelt relief spilled over dark cheeks, wetting Leo's plastron and trickling down between them. Raphael rocked with his sobs, clutching to his brother now, that the past three months of anxiety, of watching Leonardo balance between life and death, were finally over.

The older of the two held him securely, whispering reassurances to him while he let out all those bottled-up emotions.

It was so like Raph.

Leonardo didn't even have to ask details. He could just tell how his little brother had been putting on his strong face for the younger two and their friends, pretending he was fine, probably trying to take over the role as leader for the time being.

All while sitting next to the bathtub all night and day, losing sleep, terrified at Leonardo's state, dealing with his own fears, worrying over all of his brothers and their friends...

And still trying to shrug it off as nothing, because he was too shy to admit it, and too unwilling to burden Leo or Donnie or Mikey with the fact that he was in dire need of some caring, too.

Smiling again, Leo pressed soft kisses to the top of Raph's head, rubbing and softly patting at his quaking shell until the sobs lessened, tapering off into hitched breaths and wet sniffles.

In the end, Raph was still on his knees, curled up between Leo's legs with his cheek resting heavily on one thigh and his arms still clasped around his middle. Gentle fingers pet at his head and shoulders and with the way he grew heavier, Leonardo knew he was close to falling asleep.

“Hey, Raph... how about you go get some sleep? I'll listen to your reprimands later.” He smiled again, even more so, when he heard the tired, but semi-annoyed huff from near his hip. But Raphael didn't let go, instead holding on tighter to him.

Leonardo understood well enough.

They stayed like that a little longer. Long enough for Raphael to fall asleep afterall, not even stirring when, a small while later their brothers returned, carrying Raph to the bedroom, to catch up on some much needed sleep.

Things would be alright now, Leonardo knew it.

His body would heal, as would all their minds, and then, they'd ready themselves to return home and finish what they started.


End file.
